Box



Sept. 1, 1931. c, D HOWLAND 1,821,307

BOX

Filed March 51., 1930 2 Sheets-Shegt l p 1931- c. D. HOWLAND 1,821,307

BOX

Filed March 31, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Sept 1 1931 UNITED STATESPATENT OFFICE CARROLD D. HOWLAND, OF PLYMOUTH, MASSACHUSETTS BOXApplication filed March 31, 1930. Serial No. 440,322.

.1 equivalent of either a quarteror a half-bar- These boxes are cleatedto strengthen rel. them; contain many nails; their material andconstruction render them relatively heavy and expensive; ventilatingopenings in their sides so expose the contents as to invite tampering;and these openings cannot readily be closed to guard the contentsagainst freezing. Such boxes cannot easily be opened, either fortemporary inspection of the berries or to permit their sale.

This invention has for an object the provision of a box which, whileamply strong, will be inexpensive and light; which will prevent thecontained fruit from gathering moisture without its being exposed toview;

which, if desired, may be arranged to prevent the circulation of air atfreezing temperatures; and which may be effectively closed and secured,yet may be opened with little effort. In the attainment of this object,

my improved box has an outer and an inner polygonal wall, the inner wallincluding a greater number of sides than the outer. By

placing the inner wall in contact with the outer, the structure isstrengthened, and by extending the sides of the inner wall across theapices of the outer, air-spaces are formed, openings through both thewalls into the spaces giving ventilation to the berries withoutrendering them accessible or readily seen. If, on the other hand, it isdesired to guard the contents of the box against freezing, the openingsmay be closed, as by labels or other pieces of sheet-material. Outer andthe box, the outer head being flanged to receive the outer wall, and theinner head lying within the inner wall. By this arrangement, the wallsare held against displacement inwardly and outwardly; leakage of thejuice inner heads may be applied to both ends of from the berries to theoutside of the package is prevented; and when the contents should beinsulated against temperatLire-changes, this is facilitated by thedouble structure. A desirable material from which to construct 65 thebox, wholly or in part, is cellular pasteboard, which is strong, light,inexpensive and contains insulating air-spaces. Since it may beconvenient to fill the box through one end and remove the contentsthrough the other,

the opposite heads are preferably made separable from the box-wall andhave means for releasably locking them in place. I have hereinillustrated, and this may be applied to a head at one end of the boxonly as well as to both heads, engaging shoulders, furnished by lappedportions of the wall and the head-flange and provided with means toforce the flange toward the Wall to insure the locking engagement. Forthis purpose, I have shown connections between adjacent flange-portionsat the sides of a head, these connecting members also securing theflangeportions to one another, and also means encircling the head, asbetween the flange and the lap. The last of these flange-forcing meansis made accessible through a space in the flange, and may have a forceapplied so it is caused to cut through the box-material and divide thelap from the flange, thus freeing- 8 the head for removal.

In the accompanying drawings, in which appears an illustravtieembodimentof the invention,

Fig. 1 shows the principal elements of my 8 improved box in perspectiveand separated from one another;

Fig. 2 is a central vertical section through the box;

Fig. 3, an enlarged sectional detail through adjacent portions of thewalls and heads; and

Figs. 4 and 5, details in perspective of the securing means for thehead.

The external wall 10 of the box is polygonal in horizontal section, itbeing preferably in the form of a hexagonal prism. It may convenientlyconsist of a single rectangular blank of pasteboard, creased at theapices 12 of the polygon, the ends being secured by some such means asan overlapping stay 14 glued in place, or by staples. A wall of thischaracter may be knocked down for shipment and storage, with itsopposite sides in contact, 5 takinglittle room and being readily set upfor the formation of the box. Because of its lightness, resistance torupturing stresses and its insulating properties, I find suitable forthis purpose the double-faced cellular board consisting of a corrugatedlayer between opposite outer sheets. It is referably so cut that thelongitudinal axes of the corrugations lie transversely of the wall. Thismaterial may be utilized throughout the box-structure, being, in eachinstance, of such weight as to give the required strength. At eachextremity, the wall 10 is lapped upon itself at 16 to furnish a shoulder18.

To separably close each end of the wall, a 20 head 20 is provided, theblank from which the head is formed being hexagonal, of cellular orother board, with a flange 22 projecting from each side of the hexagon,this flange being in sections corresponding to the sides of the hexagon,and the adjacent edges of these flange-sections being so spaced in theblank that they will be in substantial contact when the head is set up.Each flangesection is of sufficient length and outward extension to notonly provide for proper extension over the box-wall, but also for a lap24 to be bent back at a crease 26. Thus, when the flange-sections areturned at right angles to the head in the set-up relation, a continuousshoulder 28 is formed by the laps. This shoulder and the correspondingshoulder 18 of the wall 10 extend substantially at right angles to thewall and are so related that, when the two box-elements are assembled,they spring over each other and interlook, as appears 1n Figs. 2 and 3of the drawmgs.

To hold the abutting edges of the flanges after a head has been set up,straps 30 of sheet-metal extend across the apices of the hexagon, andfrom each section of this angular strip, prongs 32 are struck up in themetal, these prongs being forced through the head-flanges and upset onthe inside. The flanges may be urged in toward the wall 10, and theengagement of the shoulders 18 and 28 thereby rendered more complete, bydevices formed in the straps. At the bend of each strap which registerswith the meeting line of the flange-edges I have shown a projection 34,furnlshed by two connecting arms bent outwardly from the body of thestrap and converging to a meeting line (see Fig. 4 of the drawings). Thestraps may be left in this shape, retaining the flanges in theirpositions at right angles to the body of the head until the wall andhead are assembled. Then the projections 34 maybe seized with pliers,their opposite sides pressed together to draw the flange-edges towardeach other,

.instance, twelve.

and then bent to one side, as appears in Figs. 1 and 5, to lock theparts against separation.

Any fullness in the head-flanges remaining after the straps 30 have beentightened may be taken up by a wire or other flexible member 36encircling the entire sectional flange. This wire is seated at thejunction of the flange and its lap, and at a point in these portions aspace 38 is cut away, through which space the ends 40 of the wire arebrought. Before the flange-laps are turned in, the wire is put in placeand the ends given a preliminary twist at 40 to hold them in place.After the head has been put upon the wall, the ends are further twistedtogether and thus draw the entire flange toward the wall 10. On accountof the location of the wire at the outer edge of the flange, it veryeffectively forces said flange in against the wall and locks thehead-shoulder 28 beneath the co-operating wallshoulder 18. This havingbeen accomplished, the twisted ends may be tucked into the space 38, sothey are substantially hidden and opening of the package by unauthorizedpersons is not invited. To unlock the head for removal, the wire isengaged at the space 38 by an implement upon which a force is exerted inthe direction of the opposite extremity of the wall. This causes thewire to cut through the board, completely severing the lap from theflange and leaving the head free.- To facilitate this division of thelap from the flange, the crease between the two portions may be indentedor perforated, as is indicated at 41 in Fig. 3.

Within the wall 10 is a second, preferably polygonal wall 42. This has agreater number of sides than the outer, in the present, Its material,height and manner of setting-up may be the same as the outer wall. Inthis case, however, the axes of the corrugations in the board may extendcircumferentially. The dimensions of the sides of the dodecagonal prismfurnishing the inner wall are such that, while one of the sides restsagainst the inside of the wall 10, the two adjacent sides bridge acrossthe corresponding apex of the hexagon to form spaces at 44 extendingfrom head to head. Into each space are ventilating openings joining theinterior of the box with the outer air. Openings 46 in the wall 10appear as sector-shaped, though this is not es-.

sential to my invention, these being near the corners of each side, thusleaving the greater portion free for the application of labels. Openings48 in the bridging sides of the wall 42 may be arranged in staggered.

one another that it is difiicult for one lOOliform and function,

ing through the openings 46 to see the contents of the box, and theseare practically inaccessible. The circulation of air maintained throughthese openings and the intermediate spaceprevents injury to the box bythe accumulation ofunoisture known as sweating. Because of theprojection of the outer walland head-flanges beyond the surfaces of thewalls 10, there is always a space left over the openings 46. no matterhow closely the boxes are placed. Therefore, access'of air to thecontents will not be interfered with. In cold weather it maybe desirableto exclude outside air from the box for shipment. In that case, labelsor other sheets may be applied over the openings 46, and the openings 48also covered. There is, then, a dead-air space of considerable capacitycreated between the walls 10a11d42, which, with the spaces in thecellular material of the double wall of the box, is very effective 1npreventing the contents from f1 eezing.

After the assembling of the two walls upon one of the outer heads, aninner head'50 of the cellular board, having the same form as the innerwall in horizontal section and of such dimensions as to fit therein, isdropped through the top of said inner wall to rest upon the inner faceof the outer head. This gives, as at the outer portion of the wallbetween the spaces 44, a double thickness of board, greatlystrengthening the head, increasing the insulating effect, andbetter'absorbing moisture. edge of this inner head holds the wall 42against inward displacement and stifl'ens the entire structure.

With the box set up as-above described, there is preferably placeduponthe center of the head 50 a strut or reinforcing member 52, which isshown as tubular and closed at the bottom; The upper extremity lies justbelow the plane of the upper edge of the wall 42, giving space to applythe upper inner head 50, this being the same, as to material,

as the head 50 already described. The member 52 holds rigidly spacedfrom each other the ends of the box, and guards against crushing of thecontents by the application of heavy external forces.

The member 52 may be a measure or container of definite capacity, sowhen the box is opened, as for sale of the contents,'this member whichserved as a'support between the heads may be utilized for dispensing theberries.

The box is now ready for filling, and, this having been done, the upperinner head 50 is laid on the top, resting upon the end of the tube 52and contacting at its periphery with the innerwall 42. Application ofthe upper outer head 20 and its securing by the straps 30 and the wire36 complete the closure. As already described, the box is opened bycutting the locking lap 24 ofone head from the Moreover, contact of thehead-flange 22 with the wire 36, leaving the opened for inspection orsale of the contents and thoroughly secured against accidental openingand against tampering. It protects its contents against atmosphericeffects, and may be adapted in this respect to different conditions; andfurnishes a readily handled and stacked package, which receives labelswell and is generally attractive for the purposes of store-display.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A box comprising an outer polygonal wall, and an inner polygonal wallhaving a greater number of sides than the outer wall, a side of theinner wall extending across an apex of the outer wall to form a space.

2. A box comprising an outer polygonal wall, and an inner polygonal wallhaving a greater number of sides than the outer wall, alternate sides ofthe inner wall lying in contact-with sides of the outer wall and theintermediatesides of the inner wall respectively extending across apicesof the outer wall.

3. A box comprising an outer polygonal wall, and an inner polygonal wallhaving a greater number of sides than the outer wall, a side of theinner wall extending across an apex of the outer wall to form a space,there being openings into the space in each of the inner walls boundingit and openings into said space through the outer wall at opposite sidesof the correspondmg apex.

4. A box comprising a polygonal wall furnished by a flat blank ofcellular pasteboard creased at the apices of the polygon and with theends secured to each other, said wall beingfoldable to fiat form, a headof cellular pasteboard closing each end of the wall and provided with aflange within which said wall is received and by which it is held in itsset-up relation, and a continuous polygonal inner wall of cellularpasteboard extending from head to head in contact with the outer wallandspaced therefrom at the apices of the polygon.

5. A box comprising a wall, a head for closing the wall at one end andhaving a flange to extend over the wall, the flange and wall beingprovided with overlapping shoulders, and a member secured to adjacentflanges across an apexan'd having a portion arranged for manipulation todraw the flanges toward the wall.

' 6. A box comprising a wall, a head for closing the wall at one end andhaving an interrupted flange to extend over the wall, and a strapsecured to the flange at each side of the space and provided with aprojection converging outwardly and arranged to be closed to draw theflange toward the wall.

7. A box comprising a wall with its edge lapped outwardly to furnish ashoulder, a head provided with a flange lapped inwardly to form ashoulder for locking engagement with that of the wall, there being aspace in the flange, and a wire extending about the flange at thejuncture with its lap and having ends accessible through the space.

8. A box comprising a wall with its edge lapped outwardly to furnish ashoulder, a

head provided with a flange lapped inward-,

ly to form a shoulder for locking engagement with that of the wall, anda wire extending about the flange at the juncture with its lap, therebeing an opening in the flange and lap through which the wire isaccessible.

9. A box comprising a wall with its edge lapped outwardly to furnish ashoulder, a

head provided with an interrupted flange lapped inwardly to form ashoulder for locking engagement with that of the wall, a wire extendingabout the flange at the juncture with its lap, and a strap secured tothe flange at each side of the space in thefiange and provided with aprojection converging outwardly and arranged to be closed to draw theflange toward the wall.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

CARRULD D. HOWLAND;

